The present invention relates to a retractable roof or one which can be drawn back into the rear luggage compartment of a vehicle.
Such a retractable roof makes it possible in particular to convert a vehicle of the two-seater coupxc3xa9 or four-seater coupe or saloon type into a vehicle of the cabriolet type.
In the case of four-seater coupxc3xa9s or saloons, the roof is relatively long, so that the retractable roof consists of three elements, each of which must have a length compatible with the dimensions of the luggage compartment of the vehicle.
A vehicle retractable roof is thus known, comprising a front roof element, an intermediate roof element and a rear roof element, these three elements being movable between a position in which they cover the passenger compartment of the vehicle and a position in which they are superposed substantially horizontally in the rear luggage compartment of the vehicle.
The aim of the present invention is to provide improvements to the known means, in order to control and guide in an optimal manner the displacement of the roof elements between their closure position and their storage position in the luggage compartment.
According to the invention, the retractable roof is characterised in that the displacement of the rear element towards the luggage compartment is controlled by at least one arm articulated with the vehicle chassis and with the rear element, in that the rear element is connected to the intermediate element by two levers articulated with said rear element and with said intermediate element, these two levers forming a deformable quadrilateral, in that the intermediate element is connected to the front element by two other levers articulated with said intermediate element and with said front element, these two other levers forming a deformable quadrilateral, in that said arm is connected in an articulated manner to one of the two levers connecting the rear element and intermediate element, by a connecting rod articulated with said arm and with said lever, in that the other lever connecting the rear element and intermediate element is connected to one of the levers connecting the intermediate element and front element by a connecting rod articulated with said levers.
Other specific features and advantages of the invention will emerge further in the description below.